Darkstone Code-Chapter 1019 - 1017: Gym Opening

On the weekend, the gym next to the Half Mountain Villa District that was almost fully renovated started its operations, and Lynch arrived here at nine in the morning.

Outside the gym, numerous posters and various bodybuilding champions showcased their impressive physiques to passersby, both men and women.

At this time, bodybuilding didn’t have much "scientific" interference yet, as people wouldn’t take certain drugs to accelerate the process, nor would they inject strange substances into their muscles to achieve similar effects.

Everyone still maintained the purest "classic bodybuilding" style, which meant having a broad back and shoulders but an extremely thin waist.

People cherished the inverted triangle shape of the upper body, believing that was true beauty, completely different from the later aesthetic where they were equally thick from top to bottom, all lumps of muscle.

Sometimes you might even fear whether they would suddenly snap at the waist!

The temperature was only around twenty degrees, and seeing those gentlemen and ladies wearing simple clothes and covered in oil, posing in various bodybuilding positions in the gym window or on mats outside the gym, Lynch suddenly felt a bit fed up.

Fortunately, Serra had also invited some haute society and fashion people to support the event. It’s undeniable that as long as women have money, it’s very easy for them to expand their social circles.

She established relationships with many socialites, as long as they could get their hair done together, or have a beauty treatment, or attend a fashion week together, it would be enough to make them good friends.

The eyes of those socialites as they looked at the bodybuilding gentlemen contained something terrifying, akin to... a hungry wild dog that had spotted food on the roadside, filled with a certain blatant desire.

Such unabashed gazes made those bodybuilding gentlemen even more frenzied in showcasing every muscle, and if it weren’t for the Federation’s laws prohibiting people from appearing nude in public, they might have wanted to show what they had hidden.

Conversely, the female bodybuilders didn’t receive as strong an attention.

In any case, today’s opening ceremony was lively, which also attracted a lot of the socialites from the Half Mountain Villa District and nearby passersby.

It’s widely known that people living here never worry about "income"; their concern is only how to kill time, especially for those ladies.

"Lynch, over here!" Serra suddenly saw Lynch standing by the roadside, immediately raising her hand and shouting his name.

Lynch quickly walked over, embraced Serra, "It’s great you could make it, I was wondering if you might have overslept."

She said as she let go of Lynch, pulling him to a group of socialites, with a look of pride on her face, "Let me introduce you all, maybe you know him, my son, Lynch."

The unmistakable pride in her tone made Lynch feel... quite strange, he couldn’t quite describe it, as he had never experienced such a feeling.

Not in this life, nor in his past life.

The socialites each covered their possibly gaping mouths with hands or folded fans, maintaining their lady-like composure, "Oh my, I never knew he was your son, Serra."

Some would say this, while others said, "I truly envy you, Serra, you’re a woman to be envied!"

All kinds of compliments came pouring in freely, and Serra beamed with a smile she could hardly contain.

After mingling with Lynch in the crowd for a while, she slipped him a key.

A key, a number tag, connected with a bracelet, "Locker number one, it’s always yours, you can come here anytime!"

Afterward, Serra went to socialize again, seeming well-suited for such occasions, it’s hard to imagine that just three years ago, she was a humble, full-time housewife revolving around the boiler and home.

Seeing Serra leave, Koman reappeared from somewhere, "Lynch..."

He called out, and Lynch turned to see him, extending his hand for a handshake, "Today’s opening looks very successful, I saw a lot of people signed up for membership."

There were designated people registering memberships for those in need at any time and place, and the membership fees weren’t cheap.

From a regular membership at ninety-nine bucks a month to a premium one at six hundred ninety-nine, there were four categories in total.

In addition, there were some one-on-one fitness coaching sessions, with even the cheapest costing twenty-nine ninety per session.

But even so, Lynch noticed that quite a few people booked their personal fitness trainers, especially those socialites.

They were like picking merchandise, evaluating the bodybuilding gentlemen in the gym window outside, then placing orders, undoubtedly with not-so-simple motives.

Koman was very excited for many reasons, "Yes, we already have more than a hundred members, and more will keep signing up."

Over a hundred members could bring in at least ten thousand bucks a month, enough to cover the rent here, with some surplus to pay the staff.

A few more members, and they’d be making a profit.

In various "products" transactions, some products were very underhanded, as they wouldn’t allow users any trial experience, completely collecting all fees before they experience anything.

This contrasts with traditional products, even an ordinary apple allows buyers the right to pick and choose at the fruit stand, even taste a small sample before deciding whether to buy the product they’ve chosen.

If they don’t find something they’re satisfied with, they can simply walk away.

But products related to "education" don’t apply here, like schools.

Schools wouldn’t agree for students to pay all their tuition after graduation, before they even start learning, they must pay all fees in full.

Even if a student fails to acquire knowledge during their studies, schools aren’t responsible for that; they’d deem it a problem with the student, not them.

Bodybuilding is the same, whether these people can manage their physique and health through workouts at the gym, they must pay all fees upfront.

What if they don’t achieve results after working out?

That’s not the gym’s problem, it’s the client’s failure to manage their own body and has nothing to do with the gym.

Nobody has ever sued a school, claiming the school failed in its responsibility to make themselves or their child become a noble talent.

Nor has anyone ever sued a gym, claiming the gym failed in its responsibility to give them a perfect bodybuilding physique.

It’s never happened, and there’s no issue of payment retrieval, because all fees are settled at the start.

Lynch tilted his head, walking with Koman to a place away from the crowd, "This is Payne, people living nearby are wealthy, and I don’t want to hear some rumors about this place, do you understand what I mean?"

Koman looked at Lynch, somewhat puzzled, seeing his clueless expression, Lynch realized he hadn’t quite comprehended.

"All personal trainers can physically interact with clients during workouts, but absolutely no working out in the nude, or further contact of any kind, do you understand what I mean?"

"I don’t want anyone thinking this place offers escort services, at least not during their working hours, I don’t want them having any relations with clients."

"What they do outside of working hours, I don’t care, that’s their own time, their freedom, understand?"

Koman felt a bit embarrassed, as he used to do just that.

At the time, when doing workouts with those female clients, he’d frequently suggest they all undress, working out in the nude.

Saying it allowed them to better observe their bodily movements and adjust in a timely manner.

Even in the locker room, in the showers, he had crossed moral boundaries with some female clients.

He was acutely aware those women clients considered fitness just a part of passing time, it was seeking thrill and comfort that they truly sought.

Not everyone was as genuinely into fitness as Serra.

Moreover, this was also the main source of income for fitness trainers, those socialites would spend a lot on their personal fitness courses, signing up for dozens of sessions at thirty bucks each.

Sometimes they’d even buy gifts for them, like Koman had received many various gifts.

From clothes, to accessories, ties, leather shoes, watches, there were many.

The relationship between him and Serra developed this way too, which is why he felt awkward discussing this issue.

Speaking of which, he was a fitness trainer, but what they did often made people feel they were... like escorts.

"You must keep an eye on those fitness trainers, see the look in those women’s eyes, I highly doubt your promise stands."

"If some issues lead to a lawsuit against You’Er Mei...", Lynch pulled out a cigarette, lighting one up, as he exhaled smoke, looking at Koman, "then you’ll bear the responsibility!"

Lynch knew the score, certain innuendos, even body contacts, could easily lead to serious incidents.

Working out itself can also promote the body to secrete certain hormones, which is why sometimes after intense fitness or exercise, people may feel very sexually aroused.

Always wanting to do something!

Koman also realized Lynch wasn’t kidding, and he bit his teeth, "I’ll keep an eye on them."

Returning to the crowd, Koman went back to the store, while Lynch continued to dutifully maintain his role — being a mascot, or a living signboard.

Not until noon did the opening ceremony come to a close, and after the crowd dispersed, there were already some people exercising sporadically in the empty gym, mainly those socialites.

They might not particularly care about fitness itself, but rather found the muscles on those fitness trainers quite interesting.